Gen-I Native Youth Challenge!

As part of the process of establishing the National Native Youth Network, we invite Native youth and all young people across the country to take part in the Gen-I Challenge. This call to action is the first step in engaging a broad network of people interested in addressing the issues facing Native youth and creating a platform through which Native youth can access information about opportunities and resources, and have their voices and positive contributions highlighted and elevated.

Here’s how it works: Youth 14-24, non-profits, and educational institutions are invited to join the National Native Youth Network by accepting the Gen-I Challenge.

Who: Individuals, youth councils, and youth groups can participate as Challenge Acceptors. Non-profit organizations, Colleges, Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) can become acceptors by helping their youth and students complete the Gen-I Challenge!

Youth and others can accept the challenge by following this link and committing to take the following steps.

Step 1: ACT. Within 30 days of taking the challenge, youth should work with other youth in their community or at their school to do something positive of their choosing (for example: completing a volunteer project with a local organization or charity, hosting a meeting with other youth to brainstorm how to address an issue of concern in their community, or becoming a mentor to a younger person). The youth can use toolkits from the National Native Youth Network and their partners to help them achieve their goal. Their local tribal youth council, urban tribal youth group, or Native youth organization can also be a resource.

Step 2: CAPTURE. Youth should document their community efforts and projects through a short summary (3-4 sentences) with photos and video!

Step 3: SHARE. Share your story online using #Gen-I and send the National Native Youth Network your story through http://cnay.org/ShareGenIStory.html. The National Native Youth Network or the White House may even feature your story!

Step 4: PARTICIPATE. By participating in the National Native Youth Network, youth may be invited to apply to send a representative to the first ever White House Tribal Youth Gathering in Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2015.

Organizations, colleges, universities, and TCUs can take the Gen-I Challenge too by committing to help their youth and students complete the Gen-I Challenge! They just follow this link to get signed up.

The following organizations have already committed to take the Gen-I Challenge and get their youth on board!

Gen-I Native Youth Challenge Early Acceptors

American Indian College Fund
American Indian Higher Education Consortium
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute
National Indian Education Association
National Congress of American Indians
National Indian Child Welfare Association
National Indian Health Board
United National Indian Tribal Youth